The election of Barack Obama as the 44th President

of the United States should be a time of “great

searchings of heart” for American believers. He has

promised change and don’t be surprised if he delivers.

Rated as the most liberal U.S. senator, with his V.P. not

far behind, he will come to power with a Democratdominated

Congress in his corner as

well. But what lessons can he teach us?

First, he should cause us to rejoice

in the sovereignty of God. Whatever

powers he may wield as Chief Executive,

he would do well to remember that, to

paraphrase Paul, he has a Chief Executive

in heaven. World affairs are not

finally in the hands of men. It may be

that the next four (or eight) years will

be used by God to bring many in this

nation to a place where they will lose

hope in men and be ready to hear of real

hope—“the hope of the gospel.”

Which brings us to his second lesson

for us: Christians should not be looking

to politicians to do what only the Savior

can do. Many of those to whom has been

committed the ministry of reconciliation have retreated

into holy clubs (some not so holy) where entertainment

and trendy preaching is intended to attract and convince

unbelievers. This is not the way of the Master.

Real societal change is brought about one life at a

time by an individual’s repentance and faith in the

Lord Jesus. Only in this way does a new day dawn in

the life of a soul. Soul winning is hard work, as commercial

fishing and big-time farming are. Christians

in the West need to abandon hope in the red pottage

of world politics and the thin gruel of seeker-focused

religious entertainment. After all, the healthiest

churches seem to be thriving under the most oppressive

regimes. It’s time for Christians serious about the

Great Commission to reclaim our ambassadorial status,

and get back into the harvest fields.

Senator Obama should also teach us something

by his historic rise as the first black President of the

United States. Many Americans, whatever their political

affiliation, feel a certain closure in the fact that, in

a fuller measure than ever before, the documents and

the deeds are in agreement. But we are also reminded

that, according to the Barna Group, the most segregated

hour in America is still Sunday morning at 10 o’clock. Is

it not time for evangelicals to bring their documents and

deeds into alignment? If secular politicians applaud such

a step, what of disciples who affirm at least in theory,